The Beach Boys thread

[King Kamala 0]

Alright I've been threatening to make this thread for some time but I figure we're overdue for a Beach Boys thread. I know they're not the most popular band on here (I know at least one of this board's stalwarts doesn't like them) but for my money, they had a decade-long streak ('65-'74) of good albums. I also have a lot of fondness for The Beach Boys Love You. I like to think they just stopped existing after that one. And I think listening to the local oldies station too much and my general disdain of Mike Love has ruined my enjoyment of their early cars and surfing oriented material.

 

Weirdly enough, I think my favorite album of theirs is Wild Honey, their "return" to straight pop music after the aborted SMiLE sessions and the band's return to playing their own instruments. I don't think anybody shares my enthusiasm for this one except Robert Christgau. For some reason, I just really enjoy the charmingly disjointed combination of R&B flavored rockers and gentle psychadelic pop. The latter nicely foreshadows the next album, Friends, another one of my favorites and allegedly Brian Wilson's favorite. It's one of those records for me where even the misfires (Really- whose idea was it to cover Stevie Wonder?) are somewhat enjoyable.

 

For the hell of it, here are some videos.

 

Here they are on French television circa 1970 singing "Country Air" (from the aforementioned Wild Honey), "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and their cover of "Riot in Cell Block Nine"

 

Part Two of the appearence on French television. They do their cover of "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring", "Cottonfields", "It's About Time"

 

The Beach Boys first appearance on UK TV doing "I Get Around" and "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)"

[BruteSquad_BRODY 0]

Kokomo John Stamos

 

 

 

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Actually Kokomo is my favorite Beach Boys song, going back to when I was 5 or 6.

[Smartly Pretty 0]

I listened to Pet Sounds because of this thread. I had no idea that Okkervil River song was a cover. I'm such a loser.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Pet Sounds is one of my ten favorite albums of all time. I also think Smiley Smile is a great album, and Wild Honey is pretty good as well.

[At Home 0]

My favorite song of theirs is "Feel Flows."

[King Kamala 0]

Yeah, "Feel Flows" is a classic. Perhaps the best Beach Boys song not written or produced by Brian Wilson. Oh I smell a cross over in The Top Five Favorite thread...

 

Speaking of which, I was mildly pissed that Brian Wilson was on Rolling Stone's list of Best Singers of The Rock Era and Carl Wilson wasn't. Now I think we can all agree that Brian was the genius of the group but I think even perhaps Brian would conclude that Carl was the best singer of the bunch (though Brian is a great singer in his own right and deserved his spot on that list).

[The Buzz 0]

In a slight hijack of the thread, has anyone heard the new Brian Wilson album that came out this year, or for that matter any of his albums to come out the last few years.?

[BX 0]

John Stokomo?

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH! 0]

Are you dudes all familiar with "Smart Girls," Brian Wilson's unreleased rap record? It's srsly the weirdest thing I've ever heard:

 

[King Kamala 0]

What...the...fuck...

 

 

And I thought the collaboration they did with The Fat Boys was bizarre

 

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Has anyone heard Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue? I've heard that it was the best solo effort from any of the members of the band. It was finally released on CD last year and I was thinking of checking it out. However, my Beach Boys appreciation has always been limited outside of Pet Sounds.

[Annabelle 0]

i think that dennis wilson album maybe better than anything the beach boys did as a group. except maybe surfs up. and maybe maybe pet sounds.

 

they're a singles group. their albums were slight and dull.

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH! 0]

Yeah, Pacific Ocean Blue is incredible. You should check it out regardless of how you feel about the Beach Boys. It's got more in common with, like, Plastic Ono Band and On the Beach than it does with Pet Sounds.

[King Kamala 0]

Yeah, it is definitely the best Beach Boys solo release but don't expect anything like the group's music...it's pretty dark (not in terms of sound but lyrics). I think it's definitely a great record but I don't know like Pet Sounds, I think the expectations set forth by rock historians and critics are impossible to really fulfill. The re-release that you mention is pretty kicking.

 

 

Since I like to consider myself an amateur historian of The Beach Boys, I'll do a primer for those of you who haven't explored much outside of the radio hits and Pet Sounds. Fortunately for anybody interested in the group, most of their albums are available as part of two for one packages. Your mileage may very but I consider anything they did from about 1965 to '74 pretty infallible.

 

 

Essentials

 

The Beach Boys Today!/Summer Days and Summer Nights: The former album was the first album released after Brian Wilson's nervous breakdown that took him off the road. These albums sort of serve as the transition from the fun and surf songs to Pet Sounds, though they lean a tad more towards the former. Highlights: "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)", "Please Let Me Wonder", "Help Me, Rhonda", "Girl Don't Tell Me", "California Girls", "I'm Bugged At My Ol' Man"

 

Smiley Smile/Wild Honey: The follow ups to Pet Sounds. I think Carl Wilson hit the nail on the head when he dubbed Smiley Smile as a single instead of the grand slam that SMiLE would have been. It's not without its moments but it's probably my least favorite mid '60s Beach Boys record. Its whimsy is more cloying than charming. Wild Honey was dubbed The Beach Boys' attempt at R&B and their return to straight up rock after a psychadelic detour. While I'm sure Stax and Motown weren't shaking in their boots after hearing this, it is an incredibly loose and yes, at times, soulful record. It's definitely one of my favorites. Highlights: "Heroes and Villains", "Good Vibrations", "Wonderful", "Aren't You Glad", "Darlin'", "Here Comes The Night", "Let The Wind Blow"

 

Friends/20/20: Friends is probably the least commercial record in The Beach Boys oeuvre. A laid back tribute to friendship and transcendental meditation released in the volatile Summer of '68. Needless to say, it was their least successful record to that point. Personally, I think it's a very charming record and Brian Wilson has called it his favorite Beach Boys record. 20/20, their last record at Capitol Records is essentially a collection of leftovers and thus lacks the cohesiveness that most of their records of that era had. However, I think the thrown together spirit of this record works in its favor. You get a little bit of everything and for the first time, a sizable portion of the tracks come from members other than Brian Wilson. Highlights: "Meant For You", "Friends", "Anna Lee, The Healer", "Busy Doin' Nothin", "I Can Hear Music", "Be With Me", "I Went To Sleep", "Time To Get Alone"

 

Sunflower/Surf's Up: Sunflower, I think is the second most essential record in The Beach Boys' career behind Pet Sounds. Their first record for Warner Brothers and the return of Brian Wilson after a two year absence. It was hailed in the UK press as The Beach Boys "Sgt. Pepper". All of the other Beach Boys are at the peak of their songwriting prowess and Wilson, for the most part, seems rather unaffected by his turbulant personal life. Unfortunately at this stage, The Beach Boys were too old and square to the still prominent counterculture scene and not quite old enough to be nostalgia acts and thus Sunflower became their lowest charting album yet. Surf's Up was an attempt to rebrand The Beach Boys as enviromentally friendly hippies. Once again, though Brian Wilson is mostly absent outside of one new composition and a few SMiLE leftovers. It's a remarkably inconsistant. Some of it is absolutely tremendous and some of it is absolutely awful. Highlights: "This Whole World", "Add Some Music To Your Day", "Tears In The Morning", "Forever", "Cool, Cool Water", "Long Promised Road", "Disney Girls (1957)", "Feel Flows", "Till I Die", "Surf's Up"

 

Mileage May Vary

Surfin' Safari/Surfin' USA[/b], Surfer Girl/Shut Down Vol. 2, Little Deuce Coupe/All Summer Long: I've got mixed feelings about the surf rock albums. Most of the singles have been overplayed and most of the album tracks aren't very good. All Summer Long is probably the best of the lot.

 

Carl and The Passions---So Tough/Holland: Once again, The Beach Boys attempt to rebrand themselves- this time as an AOR band, displacing bassist Bruce Johnston with South African rockers, Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar. I'm a fan of both of these records but they're probably the least critically acclaimed records pre-'80s. Most don't care for Chaplin and Fataar's tracks but they're certainly better than anything Mike Love or Al Jardine had produced in the last thirty years or so. Highlights: "Marcella", "Make It Good", "All This Is That", "Sail On Sailor", "California Saga: California", "The Trader", "Only With You"

 

15 Big Ones/Love You: 15 Big Ones was dubbed Brian's big comeback but its mostly a hodge podge of oldies covers, leftovers and terrible odes to transcendental meditation with a few new tracks thrown in. The Brian Wilson tracks are great but the ravages of alcohol and drugs on Brian and Dennis Wilson's voices make the oldies sound just depressing. Love You is Wilson's true comeback, he wrote and produced every song on the album. This is probably the most divisive record in The Beach Boys catalog as its basically a startling musical closeup of Brian's shattered, adult child psyche, led by the overwhelming, outdated sounds of farting synthesizers. Personally, I love it. Its relentlessly charming with a few genuinely brilliant moments. IMHO, it's the last great Beach Boys album Highlights: "It's OK", "Had To Phone Ya", "Mona", "Johnny Carson", "Honkin' Down The Highway", "The Night Was So Young", "I'll Bet He's Nice"

 

For completists only

 

M.I.U. Album/L.A. (Light Album): Once again- The Beach Boys try to rebrand themselves- on these albums as soft rockers (with one infamous track seeing them take a stab at disco). Though each has its own moments- Brian Wilson's mental crises and Dennis and Carl Wilson's drug and alcohol problems lead to these albums featuring a lot of material by Mike Love and Al Jardine...which is not so good. Highlights: "My Diane", "Good Timin'", "Baby Blue", "Love Surrounds Me"

 

Keepin' The Summer Alive/The Beach Boys '85: Here we witness the final rebranding of The Beach Boys as a fun loving oldies act. Though they do try to bring in then current contemporaries (Randy Bachman, Boy George, Stevie Wonder) to enliven the sound to not much success. We've now reached the dregs though that's not to say they're not without their moments. Highlights: "Goin' On", "Getcha Back", "It's Gettin' Late", "Male Ego"

 

 

 

Whew...talk about TL;DR but I guess helpful if you're vaguely interested in The Beach Boys.

[Annabelle 0]

disney girls 1957 might be my favorite beach boys song. closely ahead of god only knows and surfer girl

[King Kamala 0]

I'm listening the disco remix of "Here Comes The Night" again, I'd kind of like it as an odd guilty pleasure if it weren't for the lame saxophone solo. Is there any song in the late '70s besides "Baker Street" that was helped by the sax?

[Annabelle 0]

the later easy-listening beach boys kinda led to the popularity of the fucking eagles. so thats a major detraction. their disco shit was even worse than when the stones did it.

[King Kamala 0]

I'd disagree with that...though I'm not 100% sure what you're talking about. Friends is the only BB album I'd classify as easy listening and that's not really at all comparable to The Eagles. If you're talking about the early '70s stuff, I thought it was more of a reaction to The Eagles and other country rock acts than an influence.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

their disco shit was even worse than when the stones did it.

Weird statement considering the fact that the Stones' disco stuff was amazing. Some Girls?

 

That's also the second time in the last week that you've put down a classic rock band by comparing them to the Eagles. Is there some repressed anger towards the Eagles that we need to talk about?

[King Kamala 0]

Aw that's just Banky being Banky. He said the same thing in The Rolling Stones thread. I think the consensus is that The Rolling Stones did the best disco crossover of all the dinosaur rockers (Though I do have a soft spot for "I Was Made For Loving You") . The Beach Boys' disco shit extends to basically one song (a remake of "Here Comes The Night") that was pretty bad.

[Annabelle 0]

their disco shit was even worse than when the stones did it.

Weird statement considering the fact that the Stones' disco stuff was amazing. Some Girls?

 

That's also the second time in the last week that you've put down a classic rock band by comparing them to the Eagles. Is there some repressed anger towards the Eagles that we need to talk about?

alright.

 

any rock doing disco was awful.

 

the eagles are just soul less easy listening boomer bullshit. the worst of the worst. somehow they're held in the highest of regard.

 

and sorry. the ship on the stones has sorta sailed for me. they're fine and all. some great albums. but most of it is good at best to me.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Yeah, Pacific Ocean Blue is incredible. You should check it out regardless of how you feel about the Beach Boys. It's got more in common with, like, Plastic Ono Band and On the Beach than it does with Pet Sounds.

You convinced me to check it out. Plastic Ono Band and On the Beach? That's some really hefty praise. Those are two of my favorite albums, ever.

[King Kamala 0]

Sorry Cheech, you know how much I love classic rock that rocks but even I can't dig the Eagles...except for some odd reason "One of These Nights" which incidentally is one of the aforementioned cases of rock goes disco. I think though I might have inherited my Eagles hatred from my Dad.

 

Though actually Pops Kamala really doesn't care for The Beach Boys. He would always change the channel when they came on the oldies station and even went as far as to say Todd Rundgren's cover of "Good Vibrations" is "way better than the original". The odd thing is that cover is almost exactly like the original! And for some odd reason at the same time, he really likes Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, who I always thought of as the slightly poppier, East Coast equivalent of The Beach Boys.

 

Off topic but has anybody heard The Four Seasons' psychadelic album Imitation Life Gazette? Surprisingly, not terrible.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Don't worry, Kamala: I don't like the Eagles at all. I just thought it was funny that they were used twice in the span of a week to denote really crappy rock music. I always threw them into the category of too soft or mainstream for my own personal tastes, but I never went so far as to actually call them bad.

 

I do like Joe Walsh, though. That's one Eagles member that's alright by me.

[King Kamala 0]

Would it be fair to say that The Eagles were the 70s equivalent of Nickelback? In that they sold millions and millions of records and sell out arenas and stadiums yet I could name on one hand the number of people I know that openly admit to listening to them.

 

Actually, I don't hate them per say. Their music is too middle of the road to deserve the same furor I reserve for Limp Bizkit or The Insane Clown Posse. Like Cheech, I also don't mind Joe Walsh. "Boys of Summer" is also a huge guilty pleasure.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

On the suggestion of Byron and Kamala, I picked up Pacific Ocean Blue (the original, not the remastered 2-disc edition). I found it quite fantastic. That said, I'm a total sucker for those coked-up '70s records with sweet harmonies over really heavy tunes (that comparison to On the Beach was surprisingly apt).

 

Overall, I think it's superior to the group efforts of the Beach Boys, but as I've said before I don't find their stuff that intriguing outside of Pet Sounds.

[BruteSquad_BRODY 0]

Kamala - How did my post earlier make you think I was derailing this thread? I simply stated my opinion on my fav Beach Boy song?

[King Kamala 0]

Water under the bridge, Brody. I was half joking anyways. I got no beef.

 

 

Cheech, I'd highly advise checking out the Sunflower/Surf's Up two for one package if you haven't already. The former album is their best album behind Pet Sounds and probably their best group effort. The latter is quite spotty but has three or four tracks that I'd consider among the band's best. It's also one of those paranoid, somewhat nihlistic, drug fueled albums that you seem to dig. They're quite a bit different from the sounds.

[King Kamala 0]

 

Figured it was worth bumping up this thread to post this unreleased track that features the lyrics "Alley oop, woo, fuck her, big tits!"

 

Quite surreal to hear the Beach Boys say fuck.